How to pronounce St. Helena?

Yes, the town in Napa? Is it Saint hell’-a-na? Or saint ha-lee’-na?

The latter.

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He-le-na.

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No, it’s as Truet says; hel-lee’-nah

I’ve heard (and said) san te-LAY-nah

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Ask Napoleon

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We always heard it pronounced Hil-LAY-nuh when we lived there.

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Interesting. Not sure I’ve ever heard it that way. I know someone who’s lived there for years, I’ll ask them. Local reporters always say lee not lay, and weather reporters talk about Mt St. Helena the same way. If they were doing it wrong, you can be sure the locals would let them know lol.

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I worked up there for 15 years. It’s Saint Huh-lee’-nuh.

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The capital of Montana is pronounced differently. So are words like rodeo (at least in Montana).

-Al

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How do you say rodeo in Montanan?

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Roh-dee-oh.

-Al

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I think it’s Row-DAY-Oh in Texan

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Same in California, that’s the pronunciation of the Spanish word. In many English dictionaries, both pronunciations are listed.

-Al

I was just pulling Al’s leg. Only time I’ve heard ro-day’-oh is in Beverly Hills Cop :wink: I don’t know enough to know if that’s also the word they use in Mexico for a similar event.

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Paso Robe als
Paso Robe ples

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Americans often mangle names or words borrowed from other languages. Even the people who live in St Helena don’t all rp Sebastopol is another one, at least to the degree it was adapted from the town in Crimea. The Cyrillic spelling has a letter that looks like a B but is pronounced like a v, and the accent is on the first o. Oh, and Cyrillic should start with a K.

-Al

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My wife grew up there. She says I’m wrong and you are right. Memories fade after almost 20 years!

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Sain Teleena. Shortened to Teleena. This is from memory of reading Ursula K. Leguin’s great novel ‘Always Coming Home’.

Dan Kravitz

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Not for this Texan nor any I know. It’s Roh-DEE-oh.